Allison Miller, Vanguard Visions

Salisbury / Modbury

Selecting a website developer and/or a SEO person

You’ll find these slides at:

slideshare.net/vanguardvisions

Session Overview

• Why is now a good time to be getting a business website?

• Getting a website• Selecting a website platform• Selecting a website developer• Selecting a SEO person• What will you investigate further?• Workshop evaluation

Why is now a good time to be getting a business

website?

CC-BY Image: Telecommunications - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telecommunication

Better infrastructure / access

• 92% of Australian business have internet access

• Australian Bureau of Statistics (2013)

• 79% of Australian homes have the internet

• Good e-practice guidelines for disadvantaged learners in VET (2013)

• 90% of Australians have an internet-enabled smartphone

• AIMIA Mobile Phone Survey (2013)

Internet is already a game changer

Source: Deloitte Access Economics Pty Ltd (2013) –http://www.deloitte.com/view/en_AU/au/services/financial-advisory/deloitte-access-economics/05660fd56ab1e310VgnVCM1000003256f70aRCRD.htm

Connected Small Business, Deloitte Access Economics, 2013 http://www.deloitte.com/view/en_au/au/353dcb8dd760e310VgnVCM1000003256f70aRCRD.htm

Website = Generating more income

Getting a website

Planning a website

“The 3 Biggest Things You May Want To Consider Before Building A Website” video by Hayley Wilsonhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1mf_YQFqo20

Define your target market

CC-BY Image: Clipart – Target with arrow by anonymous - http://openclipart.org/detail/13234/target-with-arrow-by-anonymous

What’s its purpose

What’s your website’s call

to action?

CC-BY Image: Megaphone Shout Action Call Scream Loud Speak by Mickyroo - http://pixabay.com/en/megaphone-shout-action-call-scream-50092/

What content?

CC-BY Image:Image: Content Spray Paint Logo - http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d8/Content_-_spraypaint_logo.jpg D23 Expo 2011 – Marvel Panel - http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6070/6081398164_0aec977321_o.jpg

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Branding

Naming your site

URL

Visuals

Themes? Colour Schemes?

Fonts?

Logos? Banners?

Designing your site mapHome Page

Online Shop

Portraits

Families

Individuals

Other photos Landscapes/architecture

Services

Model shoots/portfolios

Weddings

Latest news (blog)

Contact Us

Possible website site map for a photographer’s website

Maintaining and managing

CC-BY Image: TL4458 : High Maintenance Life http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1037526

Selecting a website platform

Types of websites

• Google Sites• WeeblyDIY websites

• WordPress• Joomla

Open source websites

• Adobe Business Catalyst• Blogger

Proprietary websites

Some basic considerations

•Which website platform? •Where hosted? •How/Who will maintain/change?•Can you get your content out?•Search engine optimisation (SEO) support tools?

•Have a blog?•What data analytics does it provide?•Keep spammers/security threats out?

Comparing platforms

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Functional requirement

Platform A Platform B Platform C

Provider or Third party hosted

Open Source

Blog

Online shop

Export information

Others?

Selecting a website developer

Selecting a website developer

More information - questions to ask my web developerhttp://www.business.vic.gov.au/marketing-sales-and-online/online-business-and-technology/setting-up-an-online-presence/questions-to-ask-my-web-developer

1.Ask for quote2.What other services can they offer3.What work flow/processes do they have?4.Who owns the content / design? 5.What’s in the contract?6.Other things?

Selecting a SEO person

What is SEO?

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What is good SEO?

Well designed/functioning site

SEO back-end tool

Popular Key words (Headings & in text)

Hyperlinking (internally / externally)

Unique content - images, video (Alt tags)

Driving people to your website

Blogging

Email lists

Social media

Online forums

Search Engine

Marketing (SEM)

Other online

advertising

Traditional advertising

Keywords

CC-BY Image: by Cambodia4kids Beth - Tags: Keywords to describe digital objects - https://www.flickr.com/photos/cambodia4kidsorg/260004685/

“Great content first, keyword research second!” – Jason Chesters

4 Key Steps the Pros Use to Get Traffic from Search Engines by Jason Chesters http://www.jeffbullas.com/2014/06/03/4-key-steps-the-pros-use-to-get-traffic-from-search-engines/#fkiHor3Pqr3PxFlt.99

Which keywords?

CC-BY Image: by Cambodia4kids Beth - Tags: Keywords to describe digital objects - https://www.flickr.com/photos/cambodia4kidsorg/260004685/

Which SEO person?“If they promise a search position, steer well clear of them”

Not even Google can guarantee you no 1 spot

Considerations before contacting

• Website designed with SEO in mind

• Clear SEO objectives

Which SEO person?

More information - questions to ask my SEO personhttp://www.business.vic.gov.au/marketing-sales-and-online/online-business-and-technology/web-analytics-tools-and-tactics/improving-your-seo-ranking

1.Good quality content (over keywords)2.Previous examples of work?3.Work-flow/process likes?4.Pay on milestones / benchmark?5.Understand your target market?6.SEO reporting? 7.Methods/techniques? 8.How SEO works? 9.Who will be doing the SEO? 10.Contractual arrangements?

Measuring your SEO ROI

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DIRECT ROI INDIRECT ROI

Immediate sales/contracts Sales/contracts which come at a later time

Increased hits on your website Referrals for business from unknown sources

Reduced time spent on customer service or information provision

Increased enquiries about your business

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http://happytechnologies.com.au/top-10-seo-scams

Getting some quotes / advice

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• Do a SEO web search for web developers / SEO people in your industry / locality

• Read blogs / articles by website developer / SEO people

• Read testimonials on website developer / SEO people websites

• Ask in the ‘Adelaide Word of Mouth/Referral Groups’ in FB and LinkedIn

• Ask Polaris Centre / BECs

What will you investigate further?

Workshop evaluation

vanguardvisions.com.au

Allison Miller0400 732 270

allison@vanguardvisions.com.auvanguardvisionsconsulting.com.au

linkedin.com/in/theother66

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